One type of spatial light modulator (SLM) is a Digital Micromirror Device (DMD), an microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device that operates as a reflective digital light switch. A DMD may be used in a variety of applications. As an example, a DMD may be used in an imaging system such as a digital light processing (DLP™) system for projecting images. In an imaging system, pre-recorded data is typically loaded into the DMD. As another example, a DMD may be used in an optical networking system to process, for example, wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) light signals. In an optical switching system, a pattern to be loaded into the DMD is typically locally generated and may be frequently updated.
Different applications present different requirements on how data is processed and loaded into the DMD. Known techniques for loading data into a DMD include using either an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a field programmable gate array (FPGA) device to load data into the DMD. These known techniques, however, may be inefficient in some circumstances.